HRI Fact Book 2008 - Horse Racing Ireland

SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER 2008 On Tattersalls Millions Irish Champion Stakes day at Leopardstown, it was once again Bolger and Manning that stole the spotlight, winning the two feature races on the card. New Approach’s task was made all the easier by the late withdrawal of Duke Of Marmalade, and he made no mistake in landing the odds in the feature race. Earlier on the card, Lush Lashes had ground out another Group 1 win in the Coolmore Fusaichi Pegasus Matron Stakes, beating off the strong challenge of Nahoodh by a neck. The Irish National Hunt scene was dealt a blow in the early part of the month when it was announced that Ireland’s highest rated chaser, Mossbank, had been injured and would be out for the season. In more positive news, Gordon Elliott reported that his Aintree Grand National winner Silver Birch had returned from injury and was back in full training with the Aintree showpiece being his long-term target for the season. Back at the Curragh for the St Leger meeting, it was Aidan O’Brien that resumed THE GUINNESS KERRY NATIONAL WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE MEETING AND IT WITNESSED A SECOND CONSECUTIVE WIN IN THE RACE FOR THE ERIC MCNAMARA-TRAINED PONMEOATH, WITH PADDY FLOOD STEERING THE EIGHT-YEAR-OLD TO A THREE LENGTHS SUCCESS his domination of proceedings, saddling Septimus to win the Irish Field St Leger by no less than thirteen lengths under Seamie Heffernan, completing a Grand Slam of the Irish Classics for Ballydoyle. The following day, Johnny Murtagh was at his strongest to drive Mastercraftsman home by a short-head to maintain his unbeaten record in the Bank of Scotland (Ireland) National Stakes. Whilst Ballydoyle and Coolmore had been having a season to remember, there was some distressing news for the organisation when star stallion Galileo suffered a bout of colic which required surgery. He reportedly came through the procedure well and was expected to make a full recovery. The Listowel Harvest Festival looked in danger of being lost due to the inclement weather, but with great co-operation from all parties, HRI decided to transfer all of the Flat races planned for the Festival to three hastily arranged meetings at Dundalk, and the fi ve days of the Listowel meeting that remained took place without further disruption. The Guinness Kerry National was the highlight of the meeting and it witnessed a second consecutive win in the race for the Eric McNamara-trained Ponmeoath, with Paddy Flood steering the eight-year-old to a three lengths success. The Goffs Million Raceday at the Curragh saw a truly remarkable performance from English trainer Richard Hannon, who saddled the winner of the colts race and a 1-2 in the fillies renewal of the feature race, pocketing just under €2.3m for his trouble. Elsewhere on the card, the John Oxx-trained Sea The Stars stamped himself as a horse to follow for 2009 when winning the Group 2 Juddmonte Beresford Stakes. 20 FACTBOOK 2008